Rick Herdes (Noble, Illinois)
has USI basketball fans looking forward to each March. Herdes has steered
the Screaming Eagles to five NCAA Division II Tournament
appearances and a 173-52 (.768) overall record during his seven years as
head coach.

USI, under Herdes' direction both as a head coach and
assistant, has reached the 20-win mark
15 times in 16 years and won 25 or more games five times in last seven
season.

In 2006-07, Herdes was named the GLVC Coach of the Year
after guiding the Eagles to a 29-6 overall record, 14-5 GLVC mark, and their
second GLVC Tournament title in three seasons. The Eagles also captured the
GLVC West Division crown for a third straight season and became the first
team to win three Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic crowns.

Herdes' Eagles also advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA
II Great Lakes Region Tournament for the fifth consecutive season.

The 2005-06 version of Herdes' Screaming Eagles was 27-7
overall, tied for first in the GLVC West Division, won the Disney Division
II Tip-Off Classic, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Great Lakes
Regional Final for the third time in four seasons. He also directed the team to
its 14th straight 20-win season and the fourth straight year with 25 or more
wins.

In 2004-05, Herdes' Eagles won the program's first-ever GLVC Tournament championship and the ninth conference regular-season
championship. USI's 17-game winning streak was the longest in the history of the
program. The 18-2 league record is tied for first all-time in the history
of the program and third all-time in the GLVC for
victories in a year.

During 2003-04, Herdes directed the Screaming Eagles back to Division II's
center stage as the NCAA II Elite Eight finalists and the Great Lakes Regional
Champions. He was named the Division II BulletinCoach of the
Month for December when he led the Screaming Eagles to an 11-0 record and to the program's seventh NUMBER ONE ranking in 10 seasons. Herdes'
Eagles also finished the season one win short of the school record with a 28-7
overall mark.

In his second season at the helm of the men's basketball
program, Herdes took the Screaming Eagles back
to the big dance and to within three-point range of the NCAA Division II Elite
Eight.

Herdes directed the Eagles to a 25-7 overall
record, a 16-4 mark in the GLVC, and the Great Lakes Regional finals after
defeating #1-ranked Michigan Tech University in the semifinals. The
squad, which also boasted an honorable mention All-American, two All-Region
performers, and three All-GLVC players, advanced in the Sweet 16 of the
national tournament for the seventh time in nine seasons.

In his first season at the helm, Herdes had a
record-tying year. The Eagles posted a 22-8 overall record, tying the USI
record for wins by a first-year coach. He also led the Eagles to a fourth-place
finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a 14-6 mark, advancing to the
semifinals of the league's post-season tournament.

Herdes had been with USI for nine seasons as an
associate head coach and assistant coach before being tapped for the top
position in 2001. The native of Noble, Illinois, is widely known as one of
the best recruiters and top coaches in Division II basketball. The Eaglesí
successes since Herdesí arrival reflect his abilities.

In his nine seasons as an assistant at USI, Herdes helped
direct the Eagles to a 231-46 overall record (.833), the 1995 NCAA II National
Championship, the 1994 NCAA II National Championship game, three Great Lakes
Valley Conference championships, nine consecutive NCAA II Tournament
appearances, and nine straight 20-win seasons. USI has averaged over 25
victories a season since 1993-94.

USIís point man on the recruiting trail, Herdes brought in nearly all of the key players who contributed to USI
becoming a national power in Division II. Some of those key recruits were
two-time NABC/NCAA Division II Player of the Year Stan Gouard, All-American
and GLVC Player of the Year Chad Gilbert, Division II Bulletin
All-American Jeremy Pearson, and 2001 first team All-American Derrick Lyons.

Herdes came to USI from Southern Illinois
University at Edwardsville, where he was an assistant from 1986 to 1992. While
at SIUE, Herdes helped Head Coach Larry Graham lead the Cougars to a 127-56
(.694) record and three NCAA Tournament appearances. He was responsible for
coordinating recruiting and was the academic advisor to the basketball team
and director of summer camps and fundraising events.

In 22 collegiate basketball seasons, the
programs Herdes has been involved with have a .776 winning percentage
(531-153).

In 1991 and 1992 at SIUE, he was the head coach
for the Illinois Prairie State Games, Southern Open Menís Division. His 1992
team received the silver medal.

Prior to working at SIUE, Herdes was an
assistant basketball coach and physical education instructor at Lawrenceville
(Illinois) High School, where he worked for Ron Felling, a former Indiana University
assistant coach. LHS was the Illinois Class A State Champion in
1982 and 1983 and had a 68-game winning streak. Herdes was inducted into the
Illinois High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1998.

Herdes graduated from Graceland College in 1980
with a bachelorís degree in education. As a player, he led Lincoln Trail
College to a ninth-place finish in the national tournament and helped lead
Graceland to its first-ever appearance in the NAIA Tournament.

Herdes and his wife Sarah reside in Evansville
with his daughter Taylor (16) and son Connor (13).

Herdes at USI:

As Assistant
Coach and Associate Head Coach

9 Years

231-46 (.834)

As Head Coach

2001-02

22-8
(14-6 (GLVC)

Tied USI's season
record for wins by a first-year coach. Led USI to the GLVC Tournament
for the fourth straight season. Led the Eagles to its 10th straight
20-win season.

2002-03

25-7 (16-4 GLVC)

Led USI to the
GLVC Tournament for the fifth straight season and the NCAA II Tournament
for the 10th time in 11 seasons; led the Eagles to its 11th straight
20-win season.

2003-04

28-7 (15-5 GLVC)

Led USI to the
NCAA II Tournament Finals and the Great Lakes Regional Championship.
Eagles are in the NCAA II Tournament for the 11th time in 12 season; USI
was ranked number one nationally for the seventh time in 10 years. Eagles
win 20 or more games for 12th straight season.

2004-05

27-5 (18-2 GLVC)

Led USI to its 13th straight 20-win season
and to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 12th time in 13 years.
USI also was ranked number one for the eighth time in 11 years. Directed
USI to the program's longest winning streak (17), a GLVC regular season
championship, and USI's first-ever GLVC Tournament championship.

2005-06

27-7 (14-5 GLVC)

Led USI to its 14th straight 20-win season
and to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 13th time in 14 years.
The Eagles advanced to the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional Championship
game for the third time in four years. USI won the Disney Division II
Tip-Off Classic and tied for first in the GLVC's West Division.

2006-07

29-6 (14-5 GLVC)

Named GLVC Coach of the Year. Directed the
Eagles to the GLVC Tournament championship, the GLVC West Division
title, and the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic crown. Led USI to its
15th straight season of 20-or-more wins and fifth straight year of
25-or-more wins. The Eagles also appeared in the NCAA Division II
Tournament for the 14th time in 15 years.